Wigwag signal



July 29, 1941.

L. CRISTOFOLI WIGWAG SIGNAL Filed 0G13. 27, 1938 Patented July 29, 1941 UNITED YVGWAG SIGNAL Lodovico Cristofol, Kansas City, M0., assigner of fifteen per cent to Marshall H. Page, Kansas City, Mo.

Application October 27, 1933, Serial No. 237,271

(Cl. Imm-126) 5 Claims.

My invention relates to automobile stop sign nais, and more particularly to a Wigwag signal. It is a purpose of my invention to provide a signal of the above mentioned character that is simple in construction and can be cheaply man-v ufactured. In order to accomplish this purpose, the device is made up of a minimum number of parts and of such parts as can be manufactured readily and cheaply.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a signal of the above mentioned character that will operate without the use of a large amount of electrical energy, and which will have an arc of oscillation of substantially 90 degrees, and which can be readily mounted on a rear license plate bracket, or similar support, of an automobile.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a signal of the above mentioned character, having an arm provided with an electrical lamp at the extremity thereof, which arm is oscillated back and forth by electro-magnetic means comprising a pair of electro-magnets urging an armature in opposite directions, and means for alternately energizing said electro-magnets to. l alternately urge said armature in opposite direc tions, said armature and said oscillating arm being loosely, pivotally connected together by a very simple and cheap connecting means, and the means for alternately energizing said electromagnets comprising switching means mounted to oscillate with the arm and comprising a tapered, or cam-like, member engaging with yieldingly mounted Contact means to alternately complete the circuit to the electro-magnets that operate said armature to move the same in an oscillatoryr manner.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which comprises a housing within which the switching means and electro-magnetic means are located, and which is provided with means for preventing the entrance of water into said housing in a manner such as to interfere with the operation of the switching means and the electro-magnetic means.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawing proceeds. I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particular details shown or described, except as defined in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an i automobile, showing my improved signal means applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of my improved signal means, showing the same mounted on a license plate bracket.

Fig. 3 is a face view of my improved signal and the mounting means therefor, as viewed from the right side of Fig. 2, showing a fragment of the license plate and license bracket supporting means.

Fig. i is a vertical sectional View, partly broken away, of my improved signal device.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 5, with certain of the parts omitted to more clearly show the construction of the armature and associated parts.

Fig. '7 is a View of the switch member shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring in detail to the drawing, my improved wigwag signal is shown as being applied to the rear end of an automobile body I0, having bumpers II provided thereon, and provided with a license plate I2, which is mounted on a bracket I3 in any desired manner. My improved signal comprises a housing having a body portion I4 of a cup-like character, and a cover portion l5 of a similar character, said cover portion I5 having xedly secured thereto, as by welding, a bracket I5 having a bifurcated portion II providing a slot I8, by means of which my signal device is secured to the license plate bracket I3, by means of the bolts I9, which are also utilized to secure the license plate bracket to the bumper II. The two parts of the housing are secured in iixedrelation to each other, by the slightly olisetv annular flange 29 embracing the annular flange portion 2| of the body portion I4.

The cover portion l5 is provided with a lug 22 on the inner face thereof that serves as a bearing for a tubular member 23, which constitutes both a shaft and an oscillating signal arm, said tubular member 23 being provided with a bend 24 therein to thus provide an arm 25 extending at right angles to the shaft portion 23, and having a lamp socket portion 26 at its extremity, with which the base of the lamp bulb 2l engages, a screw-threaded socket being shown by way of example, the lamp having a threaded base 28, provided thereon. Thebody portion I4 is provided with an outwardly struck annular flange 29 on the vertical face thereof, which terminates in an inwardly directed flange 30, and

mounted within the socket thus formed is a bearing washer 3|', which fits tightly, by means of a press fit within the annular flange 29, a washer of felt, or similar compressible material, 32, which may be saturated in oil, being compressed between the flange and the bearing washer 3l. The tubular member comprising the shaft portion 23 and the arm portion 25 extending at right angles to each other is thus rotatably mounted in the casing, or housing.

Mounted in substantially vertical alignment with the bearings for the shaft 23, is a rivet 33, which is fixed in the vertical face of the body portion I4 by means of the upset portion 34, said rivet extending through an opening in the ear 35, provided on the pole piece 36, said pole piece being of arcuate shape, so as to iit against the inner face of the flange 2l on the body portion I4 and being secured thereto by means of the cores 31 of the electro-magnets having the windings 38 and 33 thereon, respectively, by riveting over the reduced ends of said cores 31, as shown at 4U. Thus the pole piece 36 acts to secure the electro-magnets having the windings, or coils, 38 and 39 in xed position within the housing, and also serves as a mounting for the rivet 33, which acts as a fixed pivot for the oscillating armature having a pair of arms 4I riveted oi' welded together, that are connected by means of a tubular portion 42 embracing the rivet 33 and free to rotate thereon. The body portion I4 is made of non-magnetic material, the pole piece providing the magnetic path between the armature and the cores 31.

Said arms 4| are outwardly offset at 43 to provide spaced portions 44, which terminate in hooklike end portions having a slight gap between the same. The member 44 is made of relatively soft iron, so as to be readily attracted by the electro-magnets having the windings 38 and 39 ,l

in a well known manner, the armature being shown in the position assumed when attracted by the electro-magnet having the winding 38 in Fig. 6 and in full lines in Fig. 5, and being shown in the position assumed when attracted by the electro-magnet having the winding 39 in dotted lines in Fig. 5. It will be noted upon reference to Fig. 4 that the spaced portions 44 and hooklike portions 45 are reduced in width, said portions 44 being spaced apart a greater distance than the width of the bail, as will be obvious from Fig. 6, to permit oscillation of said bail therebetween.

An operating member made of steel wire is mounted on the shaft portion of the oscillating arm having a portion 45 thereof extending through aligning openings in the tubular member 23 and having an end portion 41 bent over on the outside of the member 23 to hold said operating member in position, said operating member having a transversely extending portion 48, which extends between the spaced portions 44 of the armature at the hook-like end portions 45 thereof, said hook-like end portions forming what is, in effect, a socket member for receiving loosely the said transversely extending portion 43 of said operating member.

Said operating member has a portion 49 eX- tending upwardly at right angles from the transverse portion 48 and is bent back on itself to provide a downwardly directed arm 50. which, with the securing portion 5l, similar to the portion 46, provides a U-shaped bend in said operating member for receiving a hook on the end of the coil spring 52. The arm 5| of the operating member extends through aligned openings in the tubular member 23 and terminates in a portion 53, which is bent over on the outside of the tubular member 2S in a similar manner to the member 41. The opposite end of the spring 52 has an eye 54 provided thereon, embracing a spacing sleeve 55, provided on the rivet 33.

A flexible metallic member 56 is fixed in a transverse slot in the rivet 33 and has mounted thereon the Contact members 58 and 59, said contact members being insulated from the metallic mounting member 55 by means of strips of insulating material 51, the members 5E, 51 and 58 being secured together by suitable fastening elements $3, which are insulated from the con* tact members 53 and by means ol openings larger than the shanks of said securing elements and insulating washers in a well known manner. As a result, the contact 58 is insulated from the contact 53. Said contacts 58 and 55! have portions 58' and 59 that are bent toward each other so as to be in closely spaced relation at the extremities thereof, being separated only by means of one ply of insulating material 51, the spacing being considerably exaggerated in the drawing, due to the fact that it is necessary to show the parts by more than a single line.

Cooperating with the contact members 58 and 59 is a switching member that oscillates with the oscillating arm having the tubular shaft portion 23. A pair of openings El is provided in the tubular member 23, which are in alignment with each other and which receive the internally threaded insulating sleeve 13, which is engaged by the threaded shank portion C2 of the switching member having a beveled, or cam-like, contact member 53 provided on the end thereof, said switching member being adjustable by means of the screw-threaded connection between the same and the insulating sleeve 13, and having a slot 64 in the end thereof opposite the cam-like head 53 for engagement with a suitable tool for adjusting the same.

A conductor 55 extends from a suitable switch controlled by a brake pedal, or in a similar manner, to close the circuit when the automobile is reduced in speed by application of the brake, through an opening 66 into the housing of my improved signal, the conductor being insulated in any desired manner externally of said housing and through the opening 65, and is soldered to the shank G2 of said switching member. A conductor 61 is also soldered to said shank portion and thus extends from the conductor B5 through an opening EB in the member 23 and through a conical plug 59 in the arm 25 to the center contact 1D, with which the center contact on the lamp bulb 21 engages, the conductor 61 being, of course, insulated within the tubular member 23 and the arm portion 25 thereof, from the point where the same extends through the opening 68 to the plug 69. Said insulating plug 69 is, preferably, made of compressible material, such as rubber, and is pressed into position in the tubular member 25 at the ared portion 1| there of. Openings 12 are provided above the plug 63, so that if any water should enter between the threads 26 and 28 it will be discharged through the openings 12 and there will be no possibility of any water getting past the plug 59 into the interior of the tubular member 25, and thus into the housing for the operating mechanism for the oscillating arm 25.

An insulated conductor 14 extends from one end of the winding 38 to the contact member 59, being secured thereto in conducting relationv with said member 59. An insulated conductor 15 extends from one end of the winding 39 to the Contact member i! in a similar manner. It will thus be seen that it depends upon which of the contact members 58 or 5S the contact member' 53 engages as to which of the windings 33 or 39 will be energized, the other end of each of said windings being grounded to the casing.

Assuming that the parts are in the full line position shown in Fig. 5, the contact member 63 held in conducting engagement with the contact member 53, by means of the coil spring 52, which has a tendency to move the parts to such a position that the arm would be in a vertical position, or in line with the axis of the shaft 23 and the axis of the shait 33. The spring is not of suflicient strength to move the arm to such a position, however, being stopped by engagement with the contact 58 or 555, as the case may be. If electrical energy flows through the conductor 55, due to the brake actuated, or similar, switch being closed, winding i9 will be energized with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 5, this being due to the fact that the circuit will be conipleted through the contact member 53 to the Contact member 5&3 and conductor 'l5 to the winding 39, and then to the metallic parts of the vehicle through the ground Upon such energization taking place, the electro-magnet having the winding 3.9 will attract the armature, and due to the loosely hinged connection between the armature at the hook-like ends 45 thereof, and the transverse portion @il of the wire operating connection on the pivotally mounted signal arm, the signal arm will be moved to the full line position, or to the position shown. at the right in Fig, 5. Upon such movement, the wedgeshaped, or cam-like, head (i3 forming the contact on the member 62, will spring past the tapered end portions of the cooperating switching means having the contacts 58 and 59, and will thereupon be moved by means of the spring 52 into contacting engagement with the portion 58 of the contact 59.

Upon engagement of the contacts 59 and 53, the circuit to the winding 38 will be completed so as to energize the electro-magnet having such winding, and the parts will be moved back to the original position that the same had, the wedgeshaped contact again moving past the end of the cooperating contact, due to the flexible metal thereoi and its flexible mounting, again moving to the full line position shown in Fig. 5, with the signal arm 25 having a corresponding position. The circuit to the lamp 2l will, of course, be continuously closed while the switch. controlling the flow of current through the conductor S is closed, due to the fact that the conductor 5'! connects the conductor with the center contact of the lamp bulb 2l, the screw shell of the socket in which the lamp bulb is mounted being grounded through the tubular member 25 to the casing of the device. and thus to the frame and other metallic parts of the automobile. It will be obvious that due to the provision of the switching means described` the signal arm will have an oscillating movement through an angle of substantially 90 degrees that the movement thereof will continue by the alternate energization of the electro-magnetic in the manner above described.

What I claim is:

l.. In a signal of the character described, a pivotally mounted arm, and means for oscillating said arm comprising a pair of electro-magnets,

tro-magnets, means operatively connecting said CTL armature and said arm, and means for alternately energizing said electro-magnets, comprising a flexible member, a pair of contact strips mounted on said flexible member, an insulating strip on said flexible member interposed therebetween and a cam-like contact member mounted to oscillate with said arm in fixed path and alternately engaging each of said contact strips, each of said contact strips being connected with one of said electro-magnets, and said arm having resilient means tending to hold said cam-like member in engagement alternately with said contact strips.

2. In a signal of the character described, a shaft and a signal arm extending substantially perpendicularly to said shaft connected to move in unison, means for mounting said shaft for rotation about its axis, and means for oscillating said shaft and arm comprising an armature mounted on a pivot spaced from the axis of said shaft, a pair of electro-magnets mounted in spaced relation between said axis and said pivot, means movable with said shaft for alternately energizing said electro-magnets, said armature extending between said electro-magnets and comprising a pair of arms secured together in fixed relation and terminating in spaced iingers, a baillike wire member having its legs secured to said shaft at axially spaced points and extending from said shaft toward said armature, said fingers having the extremities thereof spaced apart to permit said bail-like member to be passed between said fingers with a transverse portion thereof in position between the same to be alternately engaged by said iingers to oscillate said shaft upon alternate cnergization of said electro-magnets, said fingers being spaced at a greater distance than the width of said bail-like member to form a loose motion connection whereby the bail-like member can oscillate between the lingers, and a spring connected with said baillike member and mounted to return said baillike member and said armature to a central position after each energization of each of said electro-magnets.

3. In a signal of the character described, a tubular member having a substantially rightangular bend therein to provide an integral shaft and signal arm extending substantially perpendicularly to each other, means for mounting said shaft for rotation about its axis, and means for oscillating said shaft and arm comprising an armature mounted on a pivot spaced from the axis of said shaft, a pair of electro-magnets mounted in spaced relation between said axis and said pivot, means for alternately energizing said electro-magnets comprising a switching element projecting from said shaft, a cooperating switching element having contacts alternately engaged by said first switching element, said armature extending between said electro-magnets and comprising a pair of arms secured together in fixed relation and terminating in reduced portions providing spaced fingers dening a socket open at the extremity of said armature, a baillike wire member having its legs secured to said shaft at axially spaced points and extending from said shaft toward said armature with a transverse portion thereof in position between said fingers to be alternately engaged by said fingers to oscillate said shaft upon alternate energization of said electro-magnets, said fingers being spaced at a greater distance than the width of said bail-like member to form a loose motion connection whereby the bail-like member can oscillate between the fingers, and a spring connected with said bail-like member and mounted to return said bail-like member and said armature to a central position after each energization of each of said electro-magnets- 4. In a signal of the character' described, a tubular member having a substantially rightangular bend therein to provide an integral shaft and signal arm extending substantially perpendicularly to each other, means for mounting said shaft for rotation about its axis, and means for oscillating said shaft and arm comprising a pivot member mounted in spaced relation to said shaft, a sheet metal armature mounted on said pivot member, a pair of electro-magnets mounted in spaced relation between said axis and said pivot, means for alternately energizing said electromagnets, comprising a switching element projecting from said shaft, a cooperating switching element having contacts alternately engaged by said first switching element, said armature extending between said electro-magnets and comprising a pair of arms secured together in fixed relation and termina ting in spaced fingers, a bail-like wire member having a pair of legs extending transversely through and secured to said shaft at axially spaced points, said bail-like member eX- tending from said shaft toward said armature with a transverse portion thereof in position between said fingers to be alternately engaged by said fingers to oscillate said shaft upon alternate energization of said electro-magnets, said fingers being spaced at a greater distance than the width of said bail-like member to form a loose motion connection whereby the bail-like member' can oscillate between the fingers, and a coil tension spring connected with said bail-like member and to said pivot member' 5. In a signal of the character described, a shaft and a signal arm extending substantially perpendicularly to said shaft connected to move in unison, means for mounting said shaft for rotation about its axis, and means for oscillating said shaft and arm comprising a sheet metal armature mounted on a pivot spaced from the axis of said shaft, a pair of electro-magnets mounted in spaced relation between said axis and said pivot, means movable with said shaft for alternately energizing said electro-magnets, said armature extending between said electromagnets and comprising a pair of arms secured together in xed relation and terminating in reduced portions spaced apart slightly to define a narrow socket and terminating in guards projecting beyond said socket, a bail-like wire member having its legs secured to said shaft at axially spaced points and extending from said shaft toward said armature, said guards having the extremities thereof spaced apart to permit said bail-like members to be passed between said guards with a transverse portion thereof in position between said reduced portions to be alternately engaged by said ngers to oscillate said shaft upon alternate energization of said electromagnets, said fingers being spaced at a greater distance than the width of said bail-like member to form a loose motion connection whereby the bail -lile member can oscillate between the fingers, and a spring connected with said bail-like member and mounted to return said bail-like member and said armature to a central position after each energization of each of said electro-magnets.

LODOVICO CRISTOFOLI. 

